Rising Phoenix

“Hehe!” Yao Yangyu giggled, the honored Young Master immediately understanding Feng Zhiwei’s assignment. He clapped happily and gathered all the students around him, proudly announcing: “Brothers! Today, we’re visiting prostitutes on official business!”

To the side, Feng Zhiwei, Ning Cheng, and Helian Zheng all spat out their tea…

 “Really…” Feng Zhiwei murmured as the students joyfully existed. “You don’t have to be so frank.”

 “Really…” Ning Cheng murmured, his gaze stiff. “No wonder I didn’t get a rise out of her.”

 “Really…” Helian Zheng said, twisting and twitching. “Why do you have to say it like that. I really want to go, but I have to act the saint in front of her and I don’t dare go…”

 “Really.” Feng Zhiwei said as she leaned over and examined Helian Zheng’s bitter expression. “Why aren’t you going? Could it be…”

Helian Zheng loudly voiced his great internal struggle: “My Little Aunt said that people need to keep their bodies as pure as jade.”

Feng Zhiwei eyed him and said: “Your Little Aunt said you can go this time.”

Helian Zheng immediately shot to his feet and dashed outside, running so quickly that he failed to hear Feng Zhiwei’s final words.

 “If you go, you’re out…”

…

The day that the Imperial Envoy arrived, all the South Sea Officials were forced to board a sinking ship and stick out their butts as they squatted by fires.

On the Third Day after the Imperial Envoys arrival, almost every single South Sea Official was caught up in a hurricane.

This day was not originally a holiday, but Master Zhou ordered everyone to rest and recuperate after the busy and exhausting work following the dock incident.

Zhou Xizhong was strict in official matters, but allowed a lot of latitude in his subordinate’s personal affairs.

He was a strict man with high standards, but he also knew that too much stress could drive people insane, so he turned a blind eye to his subordinate’s choice of leisure.

And so on this day off, all the officials had gone out to party in the name of “official business.”

But little did they know that they would be gifted unforgettable experiences from the Young Masters of Dijing.

Naturally, the Yamen Bailiffs brought the Dijing Young Masters to the highest quality establishments of Feng Zhou, and naturally these were just the places that the powerful officials would also frequent. The Young Masters had been charged with official duty to visit these prostitutes and all of them were busy entertaining and winning the Yamen Bailiffs over.

The lowly runners were delirious with joy at their first experiences inside these luxurious palaces, so whenever they say an official they recognized they would lean over and proudly whisper into their Young Master’s ear: “Young Master, look, that one is the Commissioner’s Left Secretary, he gifted me a work of calligraphy when my son got married…”

 “Brother, look over there, heihei. That is the Commissioner Yamen’s County Protector, Lady Jiao Hong¹ frequent guest!”

The Young Masters smiled toothily, wine in hand and beauties in their lap as they asked: “Are you sure?”

?”Of course!”

The Young Master howled and gestured for their men, and then the Imperial Envoy’s guards rushed forward and knocked the officials to the ground, binding their hands and covering their faces with black cloth, tying them up and dragging them outside.

A high ranking official yelled angrily: “Daring! Who are you! Release me now! I am the Left Secretary of the Commissioner’s Yamen!”

A voice spoke into his ear: “Are you sure you are the Commissioner’s Left Secretary?”

 “Yes!”

 “Are you sure you want us to remove the black cloth?”

 “Hurry!”

The cloth was removed and the honored official opened his eyes to the bright daylight and discovered that he was standing in the middle of the street, surrounded by countless wide mouthed commoners.

The Left Secretary immediately lowered his head and yelled: “I’m not! Put it back!”

Scenes like this played out outside almost every high-level brothel in Feng Zhou, and the lucky Feng Zhou commoners were given a free show.

Yao Yangyu and Helian Zheng both enjoyed digging into people’s secrets and taking advantage of their shortcomings, so when they heard that a grain transportation official (Du Liang Dao) enjoyed the company of country women, the two immediately mounted horses and rushed out. After visiting countless village women, they finally found the man.

Soon after, Helian Zheng and Yao Yangyu happily escorted Master Du Liang Dao back to the city, his ears decorated with chains of dried chilly.

In quick order, 48 officials were dragged out of various brothels: two Third Rank Officials, one Sub-Fourth Rank, eighteen Fifth Rank, six Seventh Rank, and two Ninth Rank and numerous rankless attendants. All of them were gathered together in a long rope-chain, their faces covered and their hands tied as they were led back to the Magistrate’s Mansion.

The scene shocked Feng Zhou City and many commoners followed along to witness the parade of shame and the lofty officials tide together like a string of grasshoppers. Although Feng Zhiwei had told the Young Masters to cover the faces and not announce what they were doing or who they had captured, good deeds never left the house while scandals spread ten thousand miles. In the blink of an eye, the entire Feng Zhou City knew what had happened — while the South Sea Officials had been taking a break, they had been captured by the Imperial Envoy as they were entertaining themselves.

The deathly pale official accompanied Feng Zhiwei as she smilingly accepted the head of the rope chain and headed for the Commissioner’s Yamen.

Zhou Xizhong had already heard the news and was waiting outside with a terrifyingly cold face. As soon as he saw the chain of grasshoppers, his face twitched and he immediately called for his men to bring the grasshoppers inside and scatter the bystanders.

Feng Zhiwei did not stand in his way, knowing that pushing too far would only backfire. She had already made a clear stand.

Zhou Xizhong brought everyone into a big hall and had them untied, and Feng Zhiwei finally spoke.

 “Master Zhou,” She said as she calmly drank her tea. “What are you doing?”

 “Good question.” Zhou Xizhong spun around, staring coldly at her: “Master Wei, what are you doing?”

He examined the young and slender Feng Zhiwei, a strange mix of emotions in his heart.

He had planned on leaving Wei Zhi out to dry a little, reminding the youth of propriety and decorum so that he could have some initiative when discussing the matter of the new department’s founding.

Of course, there was also the selfish motivation — he had never suffered such humiliation since he had arrived to South Sea, and that humiliation had been followed immediately by a disaster that had opportunely taken advantage of him. He was still dealing with the aftermath, but this Imperial Envoy had seized the opportunity and put on such a great show in his favor. If he did not show this brat some iron, in the future his subordinates would not take him as seriously.